Sneeze guard

ABSTRACT

An improved sneeze guard particularly adapted for use in connection with a cafeteria style food service counter, the guard protecting the food on the counter from a customer&#39;&#39;s nasal and oral discharges when the customer sneezes. The sneeze guard is comprised of an upper section that is fixed in position along the counter&#39;&#39;s front edge, and a lower section mounted on a horizontal hinge line relative to the bottom edge of the upper section along the length thereof. The hinge allows the lower section to swing freely inward, as well as freely outward relative to the fixed section. Thus, a customer may easily reach a food dish positioned adjacent the counter&#39;&#39;s rear edge without having his arm motion or reach unduly affected by the presence of the sneeze guard since the lower section swings freely upon being engaged by the customer&#39;&#39;s arm.

United States Patent Sherrill 1 Nov. 12, 1974 1 SNEEZE GUARD PrimaryExaminer-Richard A. Schachcr Assistant Examiner-James L. Rowland 75 I tF 0d 11 h 11, l l 1 men or e S em Char one Attorney, Agent, orFirm-Wood, Herron & Evans I73] Assignee: lllw Metals Company, lnc., [57]I ABSTRACT l'mrhckl Ohm An improved sneeze guard particularly adaptedfor Filed:

June I, 1973 Appl. No.1 366,097

use in connection with a cafeteria style food service counter, the guardprotecting the food on the counter from a customers nasal and oraldischarges when the customer sneezes. The sneeze guard is comprised ofan upper section that is fixed in position along the counters frontedge, and a lower section mounted on a horizontal hinge line relative tothe bottom edge of the upper section along the length thereof. The hingeallows the lower section to swing freely inward, as well as freelyoutward relative to the fixed section. Thus, a customer may easily reacha food dish positioned adjacent the counter's rear edge without havinghis arm motion or reach unduly affected by the presence of the sneezeguard since the lower section swings freely upon being engaged by thecustomers arm.

6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures SNEEZE GUARD This invention relates to foodservice counters. More particularly, this invention relates to a novelsneeze guard structure for a food service counter of the cafeteria type.

Over the years, the cafeteria style of serving food has been one of themainstays of the food service industry. This particular style ofdistributing food to the consumer has been found particularly effectivein connection with institutional type feeding such as is commonly foundin schools, hospitals, and the like. The cafeteria type food servicefacility is also quite popular with large corporations in connectionwith the feeding of employees at lunchtime. Of course, the cafeteriastyle food distribution system has also been used over many years inretail restaurant type installations. All such food service facilitiesare commonly known as cafeterias.

Most all localities in which a food service operation of the cafeteriatype is operated has laws governing the merchandising of prepared,ready-to-eat food. One of the particular laws with which the cafeteriaoperator must be concerned is that of protecting the food from acustomers sneezes during the selection process. Toward this end, astructure known as a sneeze guard has been used in the past in thecafeteria industry. A sneeze guard is in the nature of a clear plasticor glass window erected above the food service or cafeteria counterthroughout the length of the counter along the counters front edge. Thiswindow is vertical or substantially vertical, and is fixed in positionrelative to the counter. The sneeze guard allows viewing of the food bythe prospective customer, but prevents the customers spittle and/orsputum discharges from reaching the food if the customer sneezes whilestanding in front of that food. This protection is, of course, desirablein that it prevents cold germs or worse from contaminating the preparedfood dishes for subsequent customers selecting those food dishes. Theheight or vertical distance between the cafeteria counters surfaceadjacent its front edge, and the lower edge of the sneeze guardstransparent panel, is usually somewhere between about fourteen inchesand about sixteen inches. This dimension may vary from one installationto another according to the laws of the locality in which the cafeteriacounter is located. Of course, it is through this open area defined bythe sneeze guards bottom edge and the counters surface that a customermust reach in selecting and removing a desired food dish from thecounter onto his tray.

Historically, the food service counters in cafeteria style food serviceoperations have been substantially planar, i.e., the counter has been ofa flat, table-like configuration. The width of the counter is limited,of

course, by the reach of the average person as prepared food of eachindividual food dish is placed on the counter in dish rows extendingfrom the front edge to the rear edge of the counter, the dishes of foodin each row being the same, e.g., the same salad or same dessert or thelike. Thus, the number of dishes of a single food dish in each row (fromthe front edge to the rear edge of the counter) is generally limited bythe reach of the average customer to be served.

However, in certain cafeteria installations it may be desirable toprovide a series of shelves or steps over the width of the counter,e.g., two or three separate steps. The dish rows on any one step includethe same dish,

but the food dishes may differ from step to step. The series of stepsprovides at least two marketing advantages over the planar counter. Thesteps presumably make the food more desirable or attractive to thecustomer, and the steps also allow different dishes to be placed in thesame front to rear rows on different steps. This step style cafeteriacounter structure has been found particularly desirable in rotatingcircular cafeteria counters such as disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,339,718.

However, the step structured, multiple level food counter concept forcafeterias has created a definite problem in connection with the sneezeguard structure. As mentioned, the sneeze guard must extend down to alevel above the counters front edge which is set by law. This level isrelatively low, thereby making it relatively difficult for a customer toreach from the front edge of the counter to the rear edge of the counterwithout encountering undo hinderance of the customers arm by the sneezeguard. This is true with planar counters of substantial depth; however,this is particularly true of counters with the step or elevated tiertype configuration where the vertical distance of the sneeze guardslower edge above the counter must be measured from the lowest section orstep of the counter. In the step counter configuration, the customer isforced, in effect, to reach down underneath the sneeze guard and then uponto the upper step of the counter if the dish he desires is located onthat upper step.

Hence, it is the primary objective of this invention to provide a novelsneeze guard structure particularly adapted for use in connection with afood service counter of the cafeteria type, that sneeze guard structurepermitting a customer to easily reach the rear of the counter if thecounter is of a planar configuration, as well as easily reach the topstep or level of the counter if the counter is of a step configuration,with a minimum of awkward inconvenience.

The improved sneeze guard structure of this invention accomplishes thisobjective by providing an upper section that is fixed in position alongthe counters front edge, and a lower section mounted on a horizontalhinge line relative to the bottom edge of the upper section along thelength thereof. The hinge allows the lower section to swing freelyinward, as well as freely outward, relative to the fixed section. Thus,a customer may easily reach a food dish positioned adjacent the countersrear edge without having his arm motion or reach unduly affected by thepresence of the sneeze guard since the lower section swings freely uponbeing engaged by the customers arm.

Other objectives and advantages of the invention will be more apparentfrom the following detailed description taken in conjunction with thedrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a top view illustrating the improved sneeze guard of thisinvention in combination with a rotating cafeteria style counter;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary front view of the sneeze guard of thisinvention; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

The novel sneeze guard 10 of this invention is illustrated herein, andis particularly useful, in combination with a rotating cafeteria stylefood service counter 11.

The rotating cafeteria style food service counter 11 is becoming popularparticularly with institutional and in-plant type facilities. Therotating style food service type counter 11 does not require thecustomer 12 to walk the length L of the counter available for customerservice. Indeed, and on the contrary, the customer 12 stands completelystill while the food dishes move to the customer in sight and withineasy reach. It has been found that the method of serving food by arotating style food service counter provides fast service, requires lesscustomer service area, reduces mechanical installation costs, andprovides an efficient use of labor relative to the historical cafeteriastyle food service counter (not shown) in which the customer walked fromone end of the counter to the other. A particular embodiment of arotating cafeteria style counter, although slightly differing instructural detail from the one described herein, is particularlyillustrated in US. Pat. No. 3,339,718. The disclosure of that patent isincorporated herein by reference.

As particularly illustrated in the Figures, the rotating cafeteria stylefood service counter 11 incorporates a horizontal, doughnut-shapedcounter top 13 adapted to rotate about a center axis 14. The counter top13 rotates between a kitchen or food supply area 15, and a customerservice area 16. The kitchen 15 and customer service 16 areas areseparated one from the other by a wall 17 or other suitable divider. Thecounters food supply is replenished by employees within the kitchen area15, and the dished food is selected and removed from the counter top 13by customers standing within the customer service area 16.

A series of tray supports 18 are disposed about the circular outerperiphery 19 of the rotating counter top 13 in the customer service area16. The tray supports 18 are stationary,'and are fixed to a stationaryexterior wall 20 within which the counter top 13 rotates, therebydefining fixed stalls 21 within which the customers 12 stand as the foodcounter top (with dished food 22 thereon) rotates past each stall forselection or rejection by the customer within the stall.

More particularly, the rotating counter 13 includes a stationary frame Fcomprised of a series of vertical posts or uprights 23 (which define acircle) disposed about the circular outer periphery 19 of the countertop 13 and which terminate at their lower ends in legs or feet 23a, anda series of vertical posts or uprights 24 (which define a circle)disposed adjacent the circular inner periphery 25 of the counter top 13and also which terminate at their lower ends in legs or feet 26. Theseposts 23, 24 are disposed in pairs, each pair being tied together by across member 27. An outer wall or plate 28 is fixed to the outer posts23, thereby providing a closed frame F or base structure which lends tothe appearance of the rotating counter 11 from an aesthetic standpoint.

The rotating counter top 13 includes a horizontally disposeddoughnut-shaped table 29 having a circular front edge and a circularrear edge that correspond, respectively, to outer 19 and inner 25peripheries. The counter top 13 is supported by the frame F, and isrotated by drive means fixed to the frame and described in detail below.The top 13 is provided through portions of its circumference with twosteps 30, 31 adjacent the rear edge 25 thereof, thereby dividing thewidth of the table in those portions into three separate, concentricfood display areas 32-34 raised one above the other in step-likesequence i.e. into a main section 32 and two step sections 33, 34 Asillustrated in FIG. 1, the counter top 13 is symmetrically divided intothree separate pairs of sections 35, each section being subdivided intoa portion 37 having sloped trays 38 and a portion 39 having the steps32-34. The three sloped trays 38 shown in each subsection 37 may beprovided with ice to hold cold dishes such as salads and the like, andthe tier or step-like subsections 39 of the round counter may beprovided with hot dishes. The counter top 13 also includes a dependingflange 40 adjacent to and concentric with its outer periphery 19, and adepending L-shaped keel 41 adjacent to and concentric with its innerperiphery 25.

The counter top 13 essentially rests on a series of idler wheels 42disposed about its outer periphery 19, and a plurality of drive 43 andidler 43a (see FIGJ) wheels disposed about its inner periphery 25. Theidler wheels 42 disposed about the counter tops outer periphery 19 aresimply wheels mounted in bearings 36, the bearings being fixed to theposts 23 of the counters frame F by bolts 44.

The drive wheel 43 mechanism is also fixed to the counters frame F, butis fixed on an inner post 24 thereof. Each drive wheel 43 mechanismincludes the drive wheel that is carried in bearings 45, the bearingsbeing mounted on a plate 46 fixed to extend horizontally from an innerperipheral post 24 (the plate 46 is reinforced by gusset bar 47). Thedrive wheels shaft 48 is provided with a pulley 49 on its inner end, thepulley being connected with pulley 50 of a drive motor 51 by belt 52.The motor 51 is mounted on a table 53 also fixed to the frame F, thattable 53 being reinforced by gusset plate 54. The idler wheels 43asimilar to drive wheels 43 are mounted to other inner posts 24 toprovide adequate support for the counter top 13 on its inner periphery25. Since the L-shaped inner annular keel 41 is frictionally engagedwith the drive wheel 43, rotation of the drive wheel at a controlledspeed causes the counter top 13 to rotate at a controlled speed also.

A series of tray supports 18 are disposed about the outer periphery 19of the counter 11, and fixed to the wall 28, in the customer servicearea 16 of the counter. The tray supports 18 are simply horizontallydisposed plates adapted to receive the cafeteria tray of the customer,each support being fixed to the counters wall by a suitable bracket 55.A vertical stall wall 56 disposed radially relative to the counter isinterconnected with each tray support 18 on one side thereof, as at 57,and to the counters peripheral wall 28, as at 58. The tray supports 18,and vertical radially disposed stall walls 56 associated therewith,cooperate to define the series of stalls 21 disposed about the outerperiphery 19 of the counter within the customer service area 16, eachstall being sized to accommodate one customer at a time.

As noted earlier the improved sneeze guard 10 of this invention isparticularly adapted for use with a rotating cafeteria style foodservice counter 11. However, the improved sneeze guard 10 is alsoadapted for use with a stationary food service counter of the historicalcafeteria type, i.e., a food service counter where the cafeteriacustomer walks from one end of the counter to the other.

The sneeze guard 10 of this invention, as illustrated in the Figures, isprovided with a series of sections l0a- 10h disposed adjacent to andabove the counters front edge or outer periphery 19 along the counterfrom one end thereof to the other in the customer service area 16.Although the counter is of generally circular configuration on theoutside periphery 19, it will be understood that the sneeze guard ismade up of a series of generally planar sections 10a-10h all of which,when combined together in accord with this invention, provide a sneezeguard structure of a generally arcuate configuration having a radiussubstantially identical to the radius of the counter tops outsideperiphery l9, i.e., having a center point that lies on the rotationalaxis 14 of the counter top 13.

Each section 10a-l0h of the sneeze guard 10 structure is particularlycomprised of a generally planar upper section 59 that is angleddownwardly from the horizontal top edge 63 to the horizontal bottom edge64, and outwardly toward the customer 12, at an angle a to the vertical65; preferably this angle is between about 0 and about 45. As shown inFigures 2 and 4, the angle a is about The top edge 63 of the immobilesection 59, i.e., the top edge of the sneeze guard, is located abovefloor level a distance greater than the average height of the tallercustomers served by the counter, e.g., at least about seven feet or so.This upper section 59 is provided with suitable frame members 66, 67along the top and side edges thereof, successive sections 10a-10h beingjoined in integral relation by these frame members. The window of theimmobile upper section 59 is of a transparent material such asplexiglass or the like. The immobile frame section 59 is held in place,i.e., is held immobile, relative to the rotating style cafeteria counter11 by means of mounting posts 68 that are fixed to and extend upwardlyfrom the top frame members 66, the posts being mounted in a manner notshown to ceiling or wall or overhang or the like structure in the roomin which the rotating counter 11 is located.

Each section 10a-l0h of the sneeze guard 10 also includes a lowerswingable section 60 that is pivotable relative to the upper fixedsection 59 with which it is associated. The pivotal mounting is by meansof binge members 69, the horizontal hinge or pivot line 70 of the Ilower section relative to the upper section 59 lying between the bottomhorizontal edge 64 of the upper section and the top horizontal edge 72of the lower section. The clearance C between the upper sections loweredge 64 and the lower sections upper edge 72 is preferably the minimumnecessary to prevent hinderance of the upper section 59 with the lowersection 60 when the lower section pivots or swings relative thereto. Thehinge members may be a continuous piano-like hinge (not shown) from oneside edge 73 of the lower section 60 to the other, or may simply be apair of fixed wired loops 69 located adjacent opposite side edges 73 asillustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. The hinges or wire loops 69 also serve tohold each sections two subsections 59, 60 together.

The bottom edge 74 of the swingable lower section 60 is disposed abovethe lowest food service area 32 of the counter top 13 a distance whichis no greater than that required to maintain compliance with localsanitation or health laws in that geographical area where the counter isin service. Typically such distances are on the order of fourteen inchesto sixteen inches above the surface level of section 32. It is preferredthat the lower subsections width W be between about 10 percent and about40 percent of the width W of the upper subsection 59 as shown in FIGS. 2and 3, the lower subsections width W is about 25 percent of the width Wof the upper subsection. Note that the lower section 60 is hinged to thefixed upper section 59 such that it hangs in a vertical plane (due togravity) when it is free of outside contact from a customer 112, andthat the vertical plane 65 in which it hangs incorporates or is closelyadjacent to the outer edge or periphery 19 of the counter top 13, seesolid line position of the lower section as shown in FIG. 4. It is alsopreferred that the hinges 69 be structured to allow the lower section 60to swing inwardly away from the customer l2 and toward the axis 14 ofthe rotating counter 11 (as shown in phantom line position A in FIG. 4),as well as outwardly toward the customer away from the axis of therotating counter (as shown in phantom line position B in FIG. 4). Inother words, the lower subsection 60 is hinged to the upper subsection59 in a manner that allows it to pivot about a horizontal hinge line 70substantially parallel to but spaced above the outer periphery or edge19 of the counter 11 when contacted by a customers arm 76, see FIG. 2.Note also that the side edges 73 of adjacent lower sections 60 ofsections l0a-l0h and so on are spaced a slight distance one from theother, i.e., a gap G is established, so that adequate clearance isprovided for relative movement between successive lower sections 60, seeFIG. 3; preferably, this gap G is the minimum necessary to preventhinderance of the successive lower sections during their swingingmovement. Thus, the sneeze guard 10 of this invention, in combinationwith the rotating cafeteria style food service counter 11, is made up ofa series of guard sections 10a-10h each of which is comprised of a fixedplanar upper section 59 and a swingable planar lower section 60pivotally mounted to the bottom edge of the upper section, the guardsections being dis posed in contiguous relation from side to side alongthe counters length L in the customer service area. As shown in FIG. 1,it is preferred that each section be of a length L that is no greaterthan that necessary to serve two customers, i.e., two stalls 21, side byside.

In use, and as mentioned, the customer 12 stands stationary in his stall21 with his cafeteria tray (not shown) on his support platform 18 as thecounter top 13 rotates in front of him with the food dish 22 sectionsavailable. If a customer desires a dish on the lowest step or floor area32 of the counter top 13, he simply reaches it with his hand 77 with noinconvenience at all from the sneeze guard 10 structure. On the otherhand, if the customer wants a dish 22 on the top step area 34 of thecounter top 13, it is quite apparent the customer would have arelatively awkward time of reaching that dish without the sneeze guard10 structure of this invention for he would have to reach downunderneath the lowermost edge 74 of the sneeze guard and then upward andover close to the rear or inner peripheral edge 25 of the counter; whenattempting this his arm would, of course, be hindered to some extent bya completely rigid or fixed sneeze guard structure which either woulddisuade him from selecting; that dish in the first instance or possiblyhinder his arm motion to the extent he might drop the dish whilewithdrawing it. On the other hand, the sneeze guard 10 of this inventionallows each lower section 60 to pivot inwardly against contact by thecustomers arm 76 (see FIG. 2 and phantom line position A of FIG. 4),thereby substantially reducing if not entirely eliminating theawkwardness of the situation. As the customer withdraws the dish 22 hehas selected, the lower section 60 is also adapted to swing slightlyoutwardly if the customer has not removed his arm from contact therewith(see phantom line position B of FIG. 4), thereby accommodating thecustomer and making it almost as easy and effortless for him to select adish adjacent the inner periphery 25 of the counter top 13 as adjacentthe outer periphery 19 of the counter top. The function of the sneezeguard is, of course, maintained during periods of non-selection, i.e.,during periods of food review only, by customers because the hingedconnections of the guards lower sections 60 with the guards uppersections 59 allow the lower sections to swing downwardly into arelatively vertical attitude, see solid line position of lower section60 in FIG. 4. In this vertical or non-swinging attitude, the lowersections 60 effectively function as part of the sneeze guard to preventspittle or sputum excretions from sneezing customers reaching the dishes22 on the counter top 13 in accordance with health regulations.

Having described in detail the preferred embodiment of my invention,what I desire to claim and protect by Letters Patent is:

l. A sneeze guard in combination with a food service counter of thecafeteria type, said counter providing a customer service area andhaving a main table section with a forward edge and at least one stepsection rearwardly of said main table section, said sneeze guardcomprising a series of upper sections disposed side-by-side above saidcounter throughout the length thereof in said counters customer servicearea, said sections being fixed in place and presenting an effectivesingle section upper guard, each of said sections being disposed at anangle between about and about 45 with respect to the vertical, and eachof said sections having a bottom edge,

a series of lower sections hingedly connected to said upper sectionsalong the bottom edge of said upper sections and positioned in line onewith the other, said lower sections being adapted to swing freelyrelative one to the other, and relative to said upper sections, each ofsaid lower sections having a bot tom edge disposed above the forwardedge of said counters main table section a distance that permits anaverage height adult-customer to withdraw a food article positioned onsaid main table section without touching said lower section, and eachlower section being adapted to swing inwardly and away from saidcustomer upon contact with said customers arm as said customer reachesfor a food article on said counters step section, thereby providing aneffective multi-sectioned swingable lower guard throughout the length ofthe counters customer service area.

2. A sneeze guard as set forth in claim 1 wherein said lower section,when hanging free and substantially vertically, is in a vertical planethat extends upwardly from a forward portion of said main table sectionat least adjacent the forward edge thereof.

3. A sneeze guard as set forth in claim 1 wherein said lower sectionsare of a width between about 10 percent and about 40 percent of thewidth of said upper sections.

4. A sneeze guard as set forth in claim 1 wherein said upper sectionsare angled downwardly and forwardly from their top edges to their bottomedges.

5. A sneeze guard as set forth in claim 1, said hinged interconnectioncomprising a wire loop disposed at each end of each lower section, saidwire loop serving to interconnect said upper and lower sections one withthe other as well as to provide the hinge means by which each lowersection swings relative to said upper section.

6. A sneeze guard as set forth in claim 1 wherein said upper and lowersections are disposed in a many-sided configuration to cooperate with acircular rotating type food service counter.

1. A snEeze guard in combination with a food service counter of the cafeteria type, said counter providing a customer service area and having a main table section with a forward edge and at least one step section rearwardly of said main table section, said sneeze guard comprising a series of upper sections disposed side-by-side above said counter throughout the length thereof in said counter''s customer service area, said sections being fixed in place and presenting an effective single section upper guard, each of said sections being disposed at an angle between about 0* and about 45* with respect to the vertical, and each of said sections having a bottom edge, a series of lower sections hingedly connected to said upper sections along the bottom edge of said upper sections and positioned in line one with the other, said lower sections being adapted to swing freely relative one to the other, and relative to said upper sections, each of said lower sections having a bottom edge disposed above the forward edge of said counter''s main table section a distance that permits an average height adult customer to withdraw a food article positioned on said main table section without touching said lower section, and each lower section being adapted to swing inwardly and away from said customer upon contact with said customer''s arm as said customer reaches for a food article on said counter''s step section, thereby providing an effective multi-sectioned swingable lower guard throughout the length of the counter''s customer service area.
 2. A sneeze guard as set forth in claim 1 wherein said lower section, when hanging free and substantially vertically, is in a vertical plane that extends upwardly from a forward portion of said main table section at least adjacent the forward edge thereof.
 3. A sneeze guard as set forth in claim 1 wherein said lower sections are of a width between about 10 percent and about 40 percent of the width of said upper sections.
 4. A sneeze guard as set forth in claim 1 wherein said upper sections are angled downwardly and forwardly from their top edges to their bottom edges.
 5. A sneeze guard as set forth in claim 1, said hinged interconnection comprising a wire loop disposed at each end of each lower section, said wire loop serving to interconnect said upper and lower sections one with the other as well as to provide the hinge means by which each lower section swings relative to said upper section.
 6. A sneeze guard as set forth in claim 1 wherein said upper and lower sections are disposed in a many-sided configuration to cooperate with a circular rotating type food service counter. 